6-minute read
One thing we know how to do in civil affairs, special operations, and the Army in general is to execute the PACE plan (or, as a buddy of mine likes to say, quoting John Wayne’s character, COL Kirby, in The Green Berets, “Execute Alternate Plan Bravo.”). PACE stands for primary, alternate, contingency, and emergency. I was hoping not to have to go beyond P this early in the blog, but hope is not a plan, and stuff happens.
What happened?
Our primary plan was to publish a set of cleared posts that had passed a rigorous review process required by the Department of Defense and met the guidelines that I and others agreed to when we left active service. These posts answered questions that we gathered before launching the CATR blog.
Based on some initial feedback from the team, I decided to rearrange a few posts and pull forward a couple of unfinished posts that had been planned for later. This alternate plan failed when it took longer to complete the first unfinished post, which is now in a two-week review process.
As our contingency plan, we bring to your attention the related or affiliated sites located at the bottom of the main page. (We’d meant to do this anyway; better now than later.) Since we are not touching our emergency plan this week, there’s no need to disclose it right now.
The related sites.
Civil Affairs Association. The Civil Affairs Association (CAA) has served as the regimental association for the Civil Affairs Corps since 1947. Boasting members from the Army, Marine Corps, active, reserve, and retired military, and civilian partners, its website provides information about the Association, its upcoming events, and the benefits of being a member. It contains links to its various media platforms, including articles that promote critical thinking, podcasts that introduce us to CA professionals and partners who work “the last three feet of foreign relations,” and videos that show CA Soldiers and Marines in action. It also contains a nice collection of professional development resources for those registered as Association members.
Friends of Civil Affairs. The Friends of Civil Affairs (FOCA) is a tax-exempt 501(C)(19) Veterans Organization dedicated to supporting the welfare and morale of active-duty civil affairs Soldiers and their Families. FOCA recognizes excellence within CA professional military education programs and supports other recognition programs within the active component CA community. FOCA conducts fun, family-oriented events throughout the year to raise money to support special initiatives, including the FOCA Scholarship Fund, which awards merit and needs-based scholarships to spouses and children.
USAJFKSWCS. The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWC) at Fort Bragg, NC, provides the foundational training and education for Regular Army and U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) soldiers of the Army’s civil affairs branch. Its website contains information for those interested in joining the branch and links to information about irregular warfare, the Special Warfare Museum, the Special Warfare Journal, and the Pineland Underground podcast. The Civil Affairs Regimental Honors page contains photos and biographies of the Distinguished Members of the Regiment for the Civil Affairs Corps.
Civil Solutions International. Civil Solutions International (CSI) was founded in 2007 by a former senior civil affairs non-commissioned officer “to provide highly specialized Civil Affairs and stabilization expertise” in “locations experiencing turmoil caused by armed conflict, epidemics, or natural and human-made disasters.” It combines “Civil Affairs, Soft Power Solutions, and Perception Management, coupled with a Customer/End User 1st ‘Business’ approach” to give clients “an alternative to outdated development & aid solutions that positively impact clients and the people they serve worldwide.”
Third Order Effects. Third Order Effects (3OE) was founded in 2017 by a couple of civil affairs officers – one active and one retired – to help clients in government agencies, allied countries, NGOs, and private industry find solutions that end suffering and create good governance without causing adverse second and third order effects in future months or years. It has a global professional network of civilian and military experts with core competencies in executing governance, building partner capacity, delivering humanitarian aid, providing cultural training, and others. 3OE provides “consultants for security cooperation, stabilization, governance, and cultural advising” to “help clients to solve their immediate problems and create viable solutions for long-lasting results.”
Veterans Without Orders. Veterans Without Orders (VWO) is a veteran-led, non-profit organization founded in 2014 by civil affairs soldiers experienced in humanitarian assistance/disaster response (HA/DR) and development. Its mission is to “leverage a global network of military Veterans and First Responders, providing access to sustainable clean drinking water and healthcare services to communities in need around the world.” VWO adheres to the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence, empowering women to lead sustainable solutions to health problems caused by untreated water in their communities. It relies on the generosity of donors and the passion and dedication of its volunteers.
Our affiliated sites.
LC38 Brand. LC38 Brand is the brainchild of a talented and witty civil affairs officer who seized on the marketing talents of Captain Meriwether Lewis (L) and Lieutenant William Clark (C), who led the Corps of Discovery on an extended TDY trip to execute what we now consider civil affairs (38) tasks to answer commander-in-chief’s critical information requirements (CCIR). LC38 Brand’s online store sells lots of cool, civil affairs-related stuff, saying, “You’ve been there and done that, now get the t-shirt.” Besides t-shirts, you’ll find hoodies, hats, polos, shorts, coffee mugs, water bottles, stickers, flags, and more. New stuff arrives all the time, so check back often using the link found in the Civil Affairs Team Room.
Aerial Resupply Coffee. Aerial Resupply Coffee (ARC) is a veteran-owned coffee company founded in 2021 by a retired Army logistics officer. ARC makes and sells high-quality coffee and tea that honors the unsung heroes of military operations – the logistics teams, the planners, and the lifters. It also sells a cool line of aerial resupply-themed apparel and merchandise, including an awesome ARC Tactical Parachute Backpack that is in high demand. I’ve visited the ARC unit headquarters, sampled the coffee, and can attest that ARC does not disappoint. ARC delivers to wherever you are. When you order, please go through the link on our site, or use the code CATR2025 when you check out for 20% off your purchase.
We are always open to adding and sharing new related and affiliated sites to help our teammates broaden their knowledge of professional, commercial, and recreational opportunities and resources.
Questions for our teammates: Were these sites helpful? If so, how? What other sites would you like to see linked here?
Send a note to the Civil Affairs Team Room.
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